HRH Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman Al-Saud is the Crown Prince and Prime Minister of Saudi Arabia and is widely acknowledged as the de facto ruler of the Kingdom.

Rapid Appointments: At the beginning of 2015, Prince Mohammed bin Salman was largely unknown in political and diplomatic circles. Since his father’s accession to the throne in January 2015, Prince Mohammed was swiftly appointed to a number of powerful positions. In June 2017, he was appoint­ed as Crown Prince of the Kingdom following his father’s decision to remove Prince Mohammed bin Nayef from all positions. In 2022, he was appointed Prime Minister, a post traditionally held by the King.

International Relations: Diplomatic progress has been made with regards to Yemen, Syria and Iran. The Crown Prince has also successfully managed relations with the West despite issues surrounding the Khashoggi murder and the Ukraine War. The Saudi Arabia Public Investment Fund has spent $6.3 billion in sports deals since early 2021, investing heavily in golf, football and sporting events. Saudi Arabia welcomed the world’s athletic elite into its pro league clubs, such as Cristiano Ronaldo in Al-Nasr football club. It has also solidified its place a regular stopover on the international sporting circuit. Some have levelled accusations of reputational whitewashing or “sportswashing”, whilst others have welcomed this engagement.

Catalyst of Change: The Crown Prince has been linked to major changes taking place in the King­dom: allowing women to drive, hold their own passports and move independently. Cinemas were (re)open­ed and top western and middle eastern pop artists held concerts in the Kingdom. There was also a crack­down on corruption (including the arrest of princes and prominent businessmen), and a  proposal to float Saudi Aramco–which has been called “the most profitable company in the history of the world.”.

Vision 2030: As Chairman of the Council of Eco­nomic and Development Affairs, Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman launched “Vision 2030”, a comprehensive, multi-year plan for the future of Saudi Arabia. The ambitious plan seeks to revitalise the Saudi economy by bolstering the Kingdom as a global investment powerhouse, and moving away from oil-dependency as the largest source of national income. It also seeks to strengthen government effi­ciency and the promotion of a “tolerant, thriving and stable Saudi Arabia that provides opportunity for all”. Various mega projects have been initiated in support of the vision.

The Khashoggi Assassination: Jamal Ahmad Khashoggi was a prominent journalist and Saudi Arabian dissident who was assassinated at the Sau­di Consulate in Istanbul on 2 October 2018. Al­though the Saudi government denied any knowl­edge of the murder, they were later forced to admit that their officials had been involved but didn’t go as far as the CIA who concluded that Crown Prince Mohammad bin Salman had ordered Khashoggi’s assassination.

Donations: The Crown Prince oversees donations to causes both home and abroad. In 2019, he donated $1 billion to the Misk Foundation to support youth empowerment and social development in Saudi Arabia and the Arab world. In 2022 he donated $13 million to the National Platform for Charitable Work (Ehsan) in Saudi Arabia, $203 million to Jordan as a host of refugees and over $500 million to support the UN Humanitarian Response Plan for Yemen.

Gaza: Saudi Arabia’s insistence on Palestinian statehood aligns with the 2002 Arab Peace Initiative, which the Kingdom still supports. This, alongside normalisation with Israel, U.S. commitments to Saudi security, nuclear program assistance, and investment, are all part of the negotiations. 

“All success stories start with a vision, and successful visions are based on strong pillars.”

200 thousand years of human habitation in the kingdom

$500 billion the cost of Neom